SINGAPORE, Feb 3 — A rare Malayan tapir briefly turned Singapore’s Defu industrial estate into a wildlife hotspot in the small hours of February 2, with authorities now keeping an eye on the animal’s movements, Singapore-based online portal Mothership reported.
Responding to the sighting, How Choon Beng, group director for wildlife management at Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks), said the agency is monitoring the situation after receiving reports of the creature wandering near Paya Lebar.
“If members of the public encounter the tapir, remain calm and quiet, and do not make any sudden movements,” he said.
“Do not attempt to approach or feed the animal. Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal, such as by using flash photography while taking pictures of it.”
Malayan tapirs — typically found in the Malay peninsula — number fewer than 3,000 in the wild and are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Sightings in Singapore remain extremely rare.
The most recent known appearance was in late 2025 on Pulau Ubin, when a camera trap captured images of a roaming tapir.
In earlier years, animals were also spotted in the Lorong Halus area in 2023 and again on Pulau Ubin in 2024.
Members of the public who spot the tapir are urged to contact the NParks 24-hour Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.